A Bullet For You
by calleighstorres
Summary: When Ryan takes a bullet for Calleigh, she questions why he risked his life for hers so quickly. CaRWash. Set around Season 6. Contains spoilers.


**I don't own CSI Miami, this is just a fan fiction. Y'all already knew that though. :) **

**\- Authors Notes: This came to me, inspired by 'Seeing Red', '(The) Curse of the Coffin' and 'Nailed'. All parts in italics are flashbacks XD. AU. **

**anyways on with the story. It involves the aftermath too just because. **

**/**

_A pang of instant pain shot through his arm as he hit the ground with a terrible 'THUD!' as he came into contact with the ground. He could see the blood seeping out from his white shirt and forming a blood stain. Things were getting blurry and the young CSI groaned in agony as he felt the pain only get worse. _

"This is CSI Duquesne to Dispatch! Requiring immediate back up and an ambulance.. officer down!"

Calleigh rushed over to her colleague who had recklessly put his life on the line to prevent her from getting shot. She took off her sweater and wrapped it around his wound, applying pressure. "Please, don't die on me Ryan!" the older woman cried as his eyes failed to meet hers. The last time she had been this worried about him was when he was shot with the nailgun. This was an actual bullet from a 9mm gun.

Wolfe had managed to sit himself up against the Hummer. Detective Tripp and patrol had gone after the shooter. Calleigh could've. But instead she was tending to his gunshot injury. He knew that a gun shot wasn't easy to come by, however, he didn't regret what he did. "Cal.." he breathed, his free hand taking hers. Calleigh listened carefully. "..don't worry about me. I did.. what I had to.." The blonde shook her head. For a smart man, he sure knew how to make a scene. Jumping in front of her when she was being shot at. Taking a bullet to the arm on her behalf. And now, her pretty sweater was ruined by his blood.

"Stay with me!" she begged, squeezing his hand in assurance.

Ryan lightly nodded. "I.. am.." Sirens began surrounding them, but all he could make out were red and blue blurs that were becoming less and less in focus. Calleigh could tell he was losing consciousness and began to panic. "He's losing blood!" she shouted to the paramedics who rushed over with their gurney. She helped him stand up and lay him down with the medics who rushed him to the ambulance.

"Coming?" The paramedic in the back asked Calleigh.

She got into the emergency vehicle and it drove off as soon as the doors shut. Calleigh was sat beside him at his left side with her hand still in his. As the medic worked on his injury, she talked to him. For his comfort, and for hers. "You'll be okay babe. Promise me you won't do anything stupid like that again?" Ryan weakly chuckled. "Can't.. pro..mise.. that..." The blonde huffed. Still as stubborn as ever, even when his life is on the line.

Ryan felt his nerves calm down when Calleigh retook his hand in hers. Because he knew her touch and trusted her with his vulnerability.. to his own surprise too. If there was anything he cared about more than his job, it was Calleigh. Nothing had ever compared to the strong feelings he had for her. Even if he never got to tell her, she would figure out why he did what he did. As he said: "_I did what I had to do"_, because he would do anything for the ballistics expert. To keep her alive. Prevent her from physical pain, as much as possible. And they were colleagues. All for one, and one for all.

* * *

That same day, Ryan had undertaken surgery to stop the bleeding and remove the bullet. Doctors said it had missed any vital parts of his body though he was lucky to be alive anyway. Centimetres to the left, and he'd be in Alexx's morgue lying on the cold slab. As a victim. And he wasn't a victim. He was a forensic investigator with a job to fulfil.

Ryan had been placed under anaesthetic for the procedure and took a few hours to recover from the effects of the drug. His painkillers had him slightly out-of-it with his consciousness. The wound was bandaged up and his arm was in a sling as he'd managed to get a fracture to his wrist; plus the pain was still too wide spread for him to use his arm as usual. He'd have to wait a few weeks for the fracture to heal.

Wolfe had been visited by some friends in the hospital too. Which did make him feel a lot less like the vic in all of this. He did it on purpose. And wouldn't change any of his actions. Not even after Calleigh ran to him. She'd never done that before. It was.. a weird feeling. Seeing her cry over him, because it never had happened before (as far as he was aware) and the first time was the most unbelievable. He hadn't accepted it until after his surgery when she was the first person to cross his mind. Out of everybody. H, Delko, Nat, Valera, Cooper etc. and still, she comes first.

_"Hi babe, how are ya feelin'?" She asked, sitting beside his hospital bed and smiling. Ryan smiled back. "I'm doing.. amazing!" he replied with the side affect of the anaesthetic shown by his drunken-like tone. Calleigh thought it was cute. He sure did look adorable with his usually gelled back hair all messed up in the way it was along with his hazel eyes. _

_The Ballistics expert somewhat blamed herself for not seeing the shooter. She was meant to be looking after him, not the other way around._

After being on sick leave (following his injury), he was benched from working in the field for a few cases until the cast on his wrist came off. Everybody knew how much Ryan HATED being put on the bench. Horatio didn't like having to do that. But he had to, for Ryan's -and the team's- sake.

Ryan had been stuck with supervision of the cases taken by Natalia and his temp, Danny Haynes. Not that he minded having the role of overseeing the case and how Haynes deals with it. Training a wannabe CSI takes a lot of patience, acceptance and forgiveness for their mistakes. Things Ryan had secretly wished his teammates had more of when he joined the team as the 'newbie' like he didn't even have a name. So he wanted to be the best mentor he could be.

Over the course of the few weeks, CSI Wolfe had been keeping a close eye on Danny and his actions. His character too. It wasn't bad. Ryan was impressed with his professional approach and how he handled things. He had given him a few pointers when it came to documentation and what to look for as a CSI. It seemed to have worked. Danny had picked up on what he had said and learnt how to be a good crime scene investigator.

Duquesne had been paying close attention to his mentoring of the trainee. It was precise. Clearly spoken. And honest. Exactly as a worthy mentor should be. Ryan made a good supervisory CSI. Finally being level 3 was a big step for him. Having that little bit more sense of belonging. Climbing ranks. Less of a newbie. A secondary. Someone with not so much in the role of leadership. Up to that point when he was forced to step up if he wanted to be involved in cases. That was his only way, and that opportunity he had grasped the first chance he had.

Calleigh hadn't known he'd had it in him. But he was definitely capable. He was her secondary after all.

After the shift, she had noticed his daydreaming. Like he was taking some real consideration into whatever he was worked up about. He was sitting on a bench in the locker room looking at his supported wrist with a book in the other. "Hey." The younger man said as he put down the book. It did freak the blonde out that he had known she was there when she hadn't even moved, though, she decided she'd have to take him up on that some other time. Right now it was about his future at CSI. And what he wanted.

She entered the room and made her way over to him. "Mind if I join?" "Go ahead, Cal." Ryan moved over and she sat right beside him, so close that they could feel one another. The sparks were flying. Both of them could see it; feel it too.

Calleigh had wanted to know what was bothering him because whatever it was, it had made him uncharacteristically unfocused. "What's on your mind?" she asked, tilting her head in question. Ryan took a deep breath when she finished the sentence. He knew he'd have to tell her the truth somehow. And there was so much more he wanted to say, that he had been refraining from saying. But now he felt it was time. To tell Calleigh the ultimate truth.

"I was thinking about leaving CSI."

And just like that, her heart shattered. She felt responsible, once again. "Why?" was the only question that would actually come out of her mouth. Calleigh was too hurt to lash out. Or shout. Or cry. All she wanted to know was why. "I'd been offered a role as forensic agent for the FBI Major Crimes unit here in Miami and I was considering leaving along with my injury. But I still don't know." His eyes diverted from hers to the floor in guilt. CSI was where he was meant to be, yet he was willing to let go of his destiny for another job. Let go of everything he'd worked for. His cases, ones he led. And the relationships with his colleagues. Calleigh.

"You're leaving me..?" Ryan sighed. "I don't know yet, Calleigh. I understand if you hate me for it. I completely understand." He stood up which effectively brushed his leg against hers. That sent a shiver through her body. Could she let go of this? What they had worked for. The bullet he'd taken for her. Their history. All they'd built up. The walls he put up, that she broke down. Ryan wouldn't walk out on them. He couldn't. She couldn't walk out on them either.

He started heading out. She had two options. Stop him, or let him go. It was a two way street. There wasn't a third choice. She abruptly stood from the bench, with only seconds to decide what she was going to do. Over the years, Calleigh had started to see what they could be. With the potential they had. The undeniable connection. How they were alone. Outside of work. Waking up beside him.

It was clear now. Where her future lied. With Mr Ryan Wolfe. He was her present. Her future. And everything after that.

She moved quickly, blocking him from the doorway. "Cal?" Calleigh had chosen to keep him there. It was now or never. And her heart was ready to be heard. It was time to listen to her heart. The older woman grabbed his shirt and pinned him against the lockers, which did sufficiently turn him on, whether he admitted it or not. Calleigh didn't know it yet, but he was extremely kinky.

"Why do you think it's time to go?"

"Haynes would be a great asset to the team and I think that it's best if he takes my place-" Calleigh knew nobody could ever take his place on the team. The older woman wouldn't even be there if he hadn't put himself at risk for her sake. Not the first time he's done his best to protect her. It wouldn't be the last. He was very protective of those he cared about. Which is why he lashed out on the guy who shot Eric. Because it mattered to him.

"You don't need to say anything." Ryan unbuttoned his shirt and moved his sleeve, showing the scar he had from the surgery. "This is how I remember I've done my job right. You remind me of that, Calleigh." Her eyes widened at the sight. She lifted her hand to his arm and traced it with her fingertips. Ryan watched as she did so. He could feel his heart pound. This wasn't going to be easy to let go of. Especially when they were this close. And the warmth that emitted from both of them wasn't going away anytime soon. Not until they broke apart.

Ryan leaned down, only slightly. But as he did, Calleigh's lips caught his. Her hands moved to his neck, while he wrapped an arm (his left one) around her waist and pulled her closer so there was no more distance between them. This was going to hurt afterwards. He knew that.. however, they needed this. The closure on where they stood. They'd been holding off on kissing - they couldn't do it anymore though.

Calleigh had felt this kiss was bittersweet. Like a goodbye. He tasted so sweet too. Like a vanilla latte. His lips on hers made her feel like the only girl in the world. But she would never be able to call him hers. Not when he was leaving. Fate was working both with and against her in this case. Calleigh couldn't believe it. She'd waited 4 years only to find out that he was going. Although, he would still be in Miami. Just a different job. So they wouldn't see each other as much during the day but that didn't mean it couldn't be like that. She had always been cautious of dating people in the same profession. If he worked for the bureau, that technically wouldn't be as profession.. and neither would be forced to transfer.

The younger man just wanted to kiss her. Whatever the future had in store, he couldn't let this slip by him. He wanted this more than anything. If a small piece of metal was what made her see it, whatever. They were meant to be. He could see it. And him not being at CSI wouldn't change his feelings for her. Never would. They could still be together, just more on the outside. But it was a real gamble. Because he could be wrong about it working. In the end, it came down to what was best for the both of them.


End file.
